ATSC presents opportunities for apparel sector in Canada

With Canada’s apparel market forecast to be worth almost $29.66 bn by 2020, a 20 per cent increase from 2016, representatives from more than 20 countries will convene in Toronto from August 19-21, at the Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) 2019 show to present international trade opportunities to the booming Canadian apparel sector.

“In spite of global trade uncertainties, the Canadian apparel and textiles industry is thriving, with an increasing number of Canadian businesses looking for alternative sources of supply to keep up the pace of growth,” said Jason Prescott, CEO of JP Communications, show producer and publisher of North America’s leading B2B sourcing platform for finding wholesale companies and manufacturers.

To this end, ATSC has announced that it will introduce a number of new country pavilions at this year’s event to meet the needs of its expected 5,000 attendees. New offerings include Ghana, Peru and Turkey Pavilions, as well as a first-of-its-kind Testex Certified Factory Pavilion.

ATSC is the industry’s go-to event, experiencing year-over-year growth and featuring hundreds of factories from around the globe, world-class conference sessions and unmatched networking opportunities under one roof.

“The show has become one of North America’s most significant sourcing trade fairs, delivering extensive international offerings and key education to meet the evolving needs of the industry,” Prescott said. “Nowhere else in Canada will you find to this scale of global ambassadors, trade commissioners, export councils and private sector executives coming together with thousands of apparel and textile industry representatives, from c-Level executives to SMEs and start-ups.”

With apparel and textile buyers of all sizes increasingly seeking flexible manufacturing options, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority will feature some of its region’s top, adaptable textile and ready-made garment producers in the new Ghana Pavilion.

An overview of the resources and benefits provided to Canadian businesses partnering with Ghana-based suppliers and factories will be presented on the opening day of the show as part of a panel discussion featuring Ghanaian government and private officials.

In another show first, the Peru Pavilion will offer attendees an opportunity to experience unique Peruvian textiles and apparel first-hand. Recognised as a top producer and exporter of some of the world’s best cotton, alpaca and many other fall/winter fashion products ideal for cold climate, Peru will bring to Toronto leading manufacturers of some of the world’s best knit sweaters for both fashion and function.

In addition to visiting the Peru Pavilion, ATSC attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of sourcing from Peru in a Latin American panel discussion held during the trade show. Turkey has become an international hub for textile mills and full-package factories, and some of the country’s top producers will visit Canada for the first time, ready to do business with Canadians.

The delegation of Turkish exhibitors includes Abiteks and sister company Gaia-Sourcing.com, supplier to brands such as O’neill, Espirit, Laurel, Bogner Jeans, S.Oliver and many others. The Tureks Group, which specialises in knit, woven, leather, denim and seamless products, will also be on-site to unveil their latest capabilities to the buyers in attendance.

Show attendees will hear from the Turkish delegation during the opening ceremony, including Commercial Consul of Turkey in Toronto Mehmet Ekizoglu and Istanbul Textile and Apparel Export Union General Secretariat (ITKIB) officials Mehmet Ali Demiray, Selcuk Mehmet Kaya, and Timur Bozdemir.

ATSC has announced that Swiss textile testing and certification organisation Testex will be returning to the show with a 10-booth pavilion – its largest presence to date — as part of the first Testex certified factory pavilion. An anchor partner to ATSC since 2016, Testex will expand to feature a variety of textile mills and apparel factories for both knit and woven products for men, women and children.